Undergraduate Student Handbook 2016/2017 BA History BA History and American Studies BA History and Archaeology BA History and Politics BA Ancient History and History BA Contemporary History BA English and History BA International Relations and History Major in History Minor in History UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-17 3 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Table of Contents Important Dates 2015-2016 .......................................................................................................................................5 Undergraduate Assessment Handbook and Style Guide ...........................................................................................5 Welcome/Introduction ...............................................................................................................................................6 First Year Students ..................................................................................................................................................6 Returning Students .................................................................................................................................................6 Erasmus/Study Abroad Students ............................................................................................................................6 The Handbook ............................................................................................................................................................7 Induction (for new students) ......................................................................................................................................7 For International Students......................................................................................................................................7 School Details and Communications ..........................................................................................................................7 Where to Find Advice and Information ..................................................................................................................7 Staff List and Key Contacts ...................................................................................................................................10 Student Communications and Personal Details ...................................................................................................12 Learn at Leicester .....................................................................................................................................................12 University Library ..................................................................................................................................................13 IT Services .............................................................................................................................................................13 Learn a New Language with Languages at Leicester ............................................................................................13 University Facilities ...............................................................................................................................................14 Student Learning Development ............................................................................................................................14 Students’ Union Education Unit (ED)....................................................................................................................15 University Regulations ..............................................................................................................................................15 Student Responsibilities .......................................................................................................................................15 Attendance Requirements....................................................................................................................................16 Neglect of Academic Obligations..........................................................................................................................17 Examination Regulations ......................................................................................................................................17 Employment .........................................................................................................................................................18 Course details ...........................................................................................................................................................18 Programme and Module Specifications ...............................................................................................................18 Change of Course/Module ...................................................................................................................................18 Modules and Credits.............................................................................................................................................18 ERASMUS Exchanges, Years Abroad, Industrial Placements ....................................................................................22 Teaching Timetable ..................................................................................................................................................24 Marking and Assessment Practices ..........................................................................................................................25 Ethical Approval of Student Projects ....................................................................................................................25 Coursework Submission .......................................................................................................................................25 Feedback and the Return of Work from Staff ......................................................................................................26 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-17 4 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Progression and Classification of Awards .............................................................................................................26 Complaints and Academic Appeals Procedures .......................................................................................................27 Referencing and Academic Integrity ........................................................................................................................27 What we mean by ‘plagiarism’, ‘self-plagiarism’ and ‘collusion’ .........................................................................27 Resources and advice to help you study with integrity and avoid committing plagiarism ..................................28 Referencing style ..................................................................................................................................................28 Study guides..........................................................................................................................................................28 University Statements on Plagiarism ....................................................................................................................28 Mitigating Circumstances .........................................................................................................................................29 University Regulation and School Policy on Illness and Mitigating Circumstances .............................................29 Personal Support for Students .................................................................................................................................30 Departmental Student Support Arrangements ....................................................................................................30 Equal Opportunities ..............................................................................................................................................30 University Student Support Arrangements ..........................................................................................................30 Health Care and Registering with a Doctor ..........................................................................................................32 Health Care and Registering with a Doctor ..........................................................................................................33 Careers and Skills Development ...............................................................................................................................33 Careers ..................................................................................................................................................................33 Career Development Service ................................................................................................................................35 Personal Development Planning ..........................................................................................................................35 Feedback from Students ...........................................................................................................................................36 Student Feedback Questionnaires .......................................................................................................................36 Student Staff Committee ......................................................................................................................................36 What we expect of you – What you can expect of us ..........................................................................................37 The History Society ...................................................................................................................................................39 A Message from the History Society ....................................................................................................................39 The Stanley Burton Centre .......................................................................................................................................39 Volunteer to work as an assistant librarian ..........................................................................................................40 Safety and Security ...................................................................................................................................................40 Evacuation Procedure...........................................................................................................................................40 First Aid .................................................................................................................................................................40 Personal Belongings..............................................................................................................................................40 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 5 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES 2016-17 Important Dates 2015-2016 Monday 26 September 2016 Autumn term and first semester begins Friday 9 December 2016 Autumn term ends Friday 23 December 2016 – Monday 2 January 2017 Inclusive University closed for Christmas Monday 9 January 2017 Spring term begins Monday 9 January 2017 – Friday 20 January 2017 First semester examinations Friday 20 January 2017 First semester ends Monday 23 January 2017 Second semester begins Friday 24 March 2017 Spring term ends Thursday 13 April 2017 – Tuesday 18 April 2017 inclusive University closed for Easter Monday 1 May 2017 Summer term begins Monday 15 May 2017 – Friday 2 June 2017 Second semester examinations Friday 23 June 2017 Summer term and second semester ends Monday 4 September 2017 – Saturday 9 September 2017 September resit period Please note that examination dates may be subject to change. Note: The information in this handbook applies to the 2016-17 session only. We have tried to ensure that the information was correct when the handbook went to press in September 2016. Undergraduate Assessment Handbook and Style Guide This handbook should be read in conjunction with the School’s ‘Undergraduate Assessment Handbook’ and ‘Style Guide’ which can be found on the School’s website (www2.le.ac.uk/departments/history/current). It is vital that you follow all instructions contained in these Handbooks, failure to do so will result in penalties or disciplinary action. The Undergraduate Assessment Handbook contains essential information on: lectures, tutorials and seminars explained essay writing (including format requirements) backing up of data plagiarism (plagiarism explained and how to avoid it) coursework submission procedure (including late submission of coursework) feedback examinations and revision penalties mark schemes and mark definitions (used on the coursework marking sheet) progression for all years (including any degree specific requirements) SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-17 6 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Welcome/Introduction First Year Students Welcome to History. As a School we are delighted that you have chosen to study history at the University of Leicester and we very much hope that you will enjoy your undergraduate years with us. You have joined an academic unit in which the staff are internationally renowned scholars and the modules that you take will be informed by cutting-edge research. We are also one of the largest Schools in the country offering you an exceptional range and breadth of modules from which to choose. Whether your interests lie in the medieval Crusades, China’s modern history or the English Civil War we are confident that you will find modules which will stimulate and inspire you. The degree is designed to develop your research and writing skills, your powers of critical analysis, and your capacity for independent work to reach the point where you are able to undertake a major piece of historical research of your own choice: the dissertation. We hope that you will find the intellectual journey stimulating and rewarding for its own sake. It will also provide you, however, with a set of skills for the workplace, which employers recognise as very valuable: the ability to think critically and to evaluate evidence; to read and synthesise large amounts of information; to present your ideas clearly in written and oral form, developing a well-structured argument; and to work independently or as a team in groups, managing your time and your workload. A degree in history from the University of Leicester will equip you for life beyond the University. We trust that the knowledge and skills you acquire during your time at Leicester will help you go as far as you can in your learning and your life. But we also hope that you will maintain your links with the University, and the School in particular, after you have gone, and that some of you at least, will want to stay on to do postgraduate work. The School prides itself upon its friendly atmosphere and approachable staff and we hope that you will soon feel at home with us and we look forward to getting to know you. Returning Students Welcome back! Whether you are a second, third year or a student returning from a period abroad you will have the opportunity to further expand your knowledge and gain new skills. You will find that in the coming year you will have a greater element of choice and the opportunity for greater specialisation, and you will be able to develop your own interests to a far greater extent. Bear in mind, though, that we will also be expecting you to take greater responsibility for your learning. As always, we are here to help you: we want you to enjoy your studies and get the most out of your course. We hope that you will find the coming year stimulating and fulfilling. Erasmus/Study Abroad Students Welcome to History at Leicester. We hope you enjoy your time with us and find the School a stimulating and friendly environment. You have chosen to study with an academic unit in which internationally renowned scholars offer a broad and exciting range of modules informed by cutting-edge research. If you have any queries concerning your studies during your time here you should contact the School’s Erasmus/Study Abroad Officer, Dr Prashant Kidambi ([email protected]) who will be pleased to help and advise you. Please refer to the literature provided at registration for details regarding the induction programme: it is important you attend all sessions scheduled for you. Therefore if you do miss any session please contact the School Office. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 7 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Dr George Lewis Head of School of History, Politics & International Relations The Handbook This handbook is designed to provide you with the information which you will need throughout your degree and is updated with changes as they occur. It contains vital information about how things are organised, together with advice and instructions intended to help you succeed in your courses. The handbook also contains important information which the University asks us to draw to your attention. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have read the guidance and regulations which are contained in this handbook. Induction (for new students) You will already have received details of our induction programme taking place Monday 26 September – Friday 30 September. It is important that you attend all the induction events, where we will be giving you essential information about the course, the School’s procedures, and the resources that are available for you. Please attend these sessions and also read the rest of this handbook carefully, as we will assume that you are familiar with all the information that it contains. For International Students International Students follow the same induction process as home students. You should report to the School office, 7th floor of the Attenborough Tower if you have any queries. School Details and Communications The School of History, Politics & International Relations is one of the leading schools in the country; for more information about the School’s history see www2.le.ac.uk/departments/history/about. The School is located on the 5th to 7th floors of the Attenborough Tower on the main campus and at numbers 1, 35 and 6 Salisbury Road, which is about ten minutes’ walk from the main campus. For more information on staff members and their research interests see www2.le.ac.uk/departments/history/people. Where to Find Advice and Information There is a wide array of help available at both School and University level, and you will find more information about student support services in this handbook. This help is there to be used, and it is better if it is used when a problem is beginning than when it has become serious. One of the most important things to learn, and also one of the most difficult, is when to ask for help. All of the people mentioned in this section are willing to help or advise, and you should not hesitate to contact them. Anything you say will be treated in absolute confidence; nothing, including the fact that you have asked for help, will be passed on to anyone else without your express permission. All students are given a University email address, and are encouraged to correspond with their tutors in this way. Your Academic Tutor/Module Coordinator In each module you will be allocated to a member of staff or a University tutor who will be your academic tutor for that module. She or he will take the tutorials and classes and will mark your essays. You should turn to your academic tutor in the first instance if you are having difficulties with the individual module(s) they teach, whether you don’t understand the requirements of the module, are not sure what you should be doing or aiming for, are having problems with writing your essay, or need further explanation of the comments and mark on your essay. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 8 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES University Tutors Many tutorial classes in the first year are taught by part-time University Tutors. A list of all University Tutors will be posted on the ‘Undergraduate Information and Resources’ Blackboard site. Each University Tutor is available for consultation with students. Please email the relevant tutor for further information. Your Personal Tutor At your initial registration you will have been allocated to a Personal Tutor either in the School or (for Joint degree students) in the other teaching department in which you are studying. Your Personal Tutor is available throughout your time at Leicester to discuss any academic, personal or financial problems that might arise, and you should feel free to consult them at any time. Virtually no problem which arises at University is strictly outside your Personal Tutor's remit, so do not be reluctant to consult him or her. If your Personal Tutor is on research/study leave during your time at University then you will be allocated to another academic member of staff for this period. In exceptional circumstances you may be allowed to change your Personal Tutor and in the first instance you should call in to the School Office to enquire about this procedure. On rare occasions you may prefer to talk specifically to either a male or female member of staff and to arrange this you will need to call in to the School Office. Your Personal Tutor has other important functions; they will have access to your examination marks and will be able to discuss your progress with you. You are provided with written feedback for all forms of assessment. However, if you need further feedback on essays and examination performance then you should consult the appropriate module coordinator. Your Personal Tutor is also the person to whom the School and the University will turn first should you have problems – such as failing examinations. It is in your interests to keep your Personal Tutor up to date with how things are going. You are expected to refer problems to your Personal Tutor promptly at all times. Your Personal Tutor will contact you by email during the first two weeks of each semester, this is mainly for them to check that you are settling in well and is an opportunity for them to offer advice should you be experiencing problems. Your Personal Tutor will arrange a further meeting during the course of each semester. Please note that this rule applies throughout your degree course. Students requiring immediate advice or assistance who have not been able to make contact with their Personal Tutor should contact the relevant Senior Tutor. If the Senior Tutor is unavailable please contact the School Office. Joint Degree Personal Tutors If you are a joint degree student and have a problem that you wish to discuss with the School of History, Politics & International Relations but your Personal Tutor is not in the School, then you should first contact the relevant coordinator for your degree: BA Contemporary History, BA History & Politics and International Relations & History Dr Nigel Aston ([email protected]) BA English & History Dr David Clarke ([email protected]) BA History & American Studies Dr Deborah Toner ([email protected]) BA History & Archaeology and Ancient History & History Dr Richard Jones ([email protected]) SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-17 9 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES The Senior Tutor The job of the Senior Tutor is to ensure that undergraduate studies progress smoothly and are the School’s expert on the University’s rules and practice. He or she is also responsible for dealing with students who fail to meet their academic obligations. Like everyone else in the School, the Senior Tutor is there to help whenever possible and should also be made aware of any ongoing problems. The Senior Tutors for 2015/16 are: Year 1 Senior Tutor – Dr Svenja Bethe ([email protected]) Year 2 Senior Tutor – Dr Nigel Aston ([email protected]) Year 3 Senior Tutor – Dr Ian Harris ([email protected]) The Head of School The Head of School has, subject to the power of the higher University authorities, the final say on what is done in the School. You may consult the Head of School about any problem you have. Contacting Members of Staff The best method of contacting staff is to use email, either to arrange an appointment or to ask a question which can then be replied to by email. Like you, they will check their emails regularly. Before you email with a query, please consider whether a) it might be better to see your lecturer or Personal Tutor in person during office hours b) the information is already available on Blackboard or the University website When emailing a member of staff please be aware that you cannot assume an immediate response. During term time we normally try to respond to all student emails within two working days of receipt. During the vacations a response may be slower, given that colleagues may be on holiday themselves or on research trips/conferences where they do not have access to emails. In such cases they will generally turn on their out-of-office message which will let you know when they expect to be able to deal with your email. All members of staff who are involved in teaching have ‘office hours’ listed on their staff webpage on the School website (www2.le.ac.uk/departments/history/people), during which they will be available to callers in their rooms without prior appointment. You can try to see them at other times, but there is no guarantee that they will be available. Most members of staff have a designated ‘research day’ each week during term time and, if they are working in their room, they may well ask that you do not disturb them; please respect such requests unless the reason for which you wish to see them is genuinely so urgent that tomorrow will not do. How the School Contacts you There are several ways in which the School or members of staff may contact you or provide important information. They all depend upon you taking responsibility - to check your email and Blackboard, and to respond promptly when requested. Please inform the School Office immediately if any contact details change. The Notice Board Notices for students will be displayed on the notice boards, located in the Attenborough Tower and in buildings on Salisbury Road. Any information published on the notice boards will also be available on Blackboard. Your University Email Account Important messages and information from the School and your course tutors will be sent to your University email address (including any warnings about attendance, disciplinary procedures and notifications regarding assessments). It is essential that you check your University email account on a daily basis in term-time and at regular intervals in vacations. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 10 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Remember that your University mailbox is limited in size and can become full if you do not delete items regularly. Please be aware that members of the School will expect normal levels of grammar and spelling to apply to any email correspondence: there may be a delay in responding to emails that are inappropriate or difficult to understand. The School Website and ‘Blackboard’ You can find further information on the School’s website, which can be accessed from both inside and outside the University. One of the best means for finding further information is the ‘Blackboard’ virtual learning environment system, where you will find a site for every module that you are studying. There is also an ‘Undergraduate Information and Resources’ site which contains vital information relating to your courses and degree. You can log on to Blackboard using your University of Leicester username and password on the University’s home page. Please note that ‘Blackboard’ is also used for the submission of your assignments (for further information see the Undergraduate Assessment Handbook). Twitter You can follow the History at Leicester on twitter for updates and announcements: @historyleic Staff List and Key Contacts The School Office The School Office is one of your most important points of contact and enquiry, and its staff will be able to answer your questions or advise you whom to consult. All enquiries should be directed to the reception desk, with email enquiries being sent to [email protected]. Location: 7th Floor (Attenborough Tower) School of History, Politics & International Relations University of Leicester University Road Leicester LE1 7RH Open: 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Tel: 0116 252 2587 Email: [email protected] Staff in the School On the School’s website you can find the names, rooms and photographs of staff within the School of History, Politics & International Relations (www2.le.ac.uk/departments/history/people). A number of members of staff will be on research leave for one or both of the semesters during the year. The names and rooms of new or replacement members of staff are not always available when the hard copy of this handbook has to gone to press, and so there may be some staff in addition to the list shown below. KEY: Office locations: ATT = Attenborough Tower MFH = Marc Fitch House, 3-5 Salisbury Road 1SR = 1 Salisbury Road SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 11 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES 6SR = 6 Salisbury Road Telephone numbers: to call from outside the University add 0116 252 before the number given below (or 0116 229 before numbers marked with a *) Email addresses: all end in @le.ac.uk Name Office Phone Email Aston, DR N. 1SR 202 5064 na47 Attard, Dr B.P. ATT 607 5064 bpa1 Bethke, Dr S. tbc tbc tbc Butler, Dr R. MFH 223 2810 rjb86 Clapp, Dr E.J. ATT 614 2815 ejc12 Gentilcore, Prof D.C. ATT 510 2834 dcg2 Gunn, Prof S. MFH 026 5291 sg201 Harris, Dr I.C. 6SR 005 *7532 ich1 Hopper, Dr A.J. MFH 21 3979 ajh69 Hyde, Mr C. 1SR 001 5065 ch38 Johnstone, Dr A.E. ATT 615 2861 aej7 Jones, Dr R.L.C. MFH 015 2764 rlcj1 Kidambi, Dr P. MFH 019 2766 pk64 Korb, Dr A. ATT 711 2784 ak368 Lincoln, Dr T. MFH 23 5907 tl99 Prestel, Dr C. 6SR 204 5795 cp59 Story, Prof J.E. ATT 610 2761 js73 Toner, Dr D.F. ATT 514 *7392 dt151 Head of School Lewis, Dr G. ATT 616 5370 gdgl1 Members of staff whose names appear below are away from the University for semester one during the academic year 2016-17 Name Office Phone Email Bothwell, Dr J. ATT 608 2814 jsb16 Knox, Dr Z. ATT 508 2711 zk15 Reidi, Dr E. ATT 605 2817 er48 Snell, Prof K.D.M. MFH 20 6763 kdm Members of staff whose names appear below are away from the University for semester two during the academic year 2016-17 Name SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS Office Phone Email UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 12 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Moore, Dr J. 6SR 105 *7531 Jm68 Moore, Dr P. ATT 509 2816 pm294 Sweet Prof R.H. MFH 14 2837 rhs4 Members of staff whose names appear below are away from the University for both semesters during the academic year 2016-17 Name Office Phone Email Anderson, Prof C. 6SR 101 *7528 ca26 Campbell, Dr J. ATT 613 2583 Jmc62 Coffey, Prof J.R.D. ATT710 3941 jrdc1 Foxhall, Dr K. 6SR 203 7794 kf107 Horrocks, Dr S.M. ATT507 5070 smh4 Hurren, Dr E.T. 1SR 003 5968 eh140 King, Prof S. 7SR 2760 sak28 Marin, Dr I. ATT 702 2736 im146 Schürer, Prof K. MFH 224 2320 ks291 Administrative Responsibilities The Head of School (Dr George Lewis – [email protected]) has overall responsibility for all aspects of the School’s activities; any student who wishes to see the Head of School should do so during his office hours, which are posted on his door, or email him for an appointment. The Director of Undergraduate Studies is Professor Simon Gunn ([email protected]) who oversees administrative matters relating to the BA programmes. The Examinations Officer, Dr Bernard Attard ([email protected]), is responsible for all coursework assessment and examination arrangements. The School’s Equal Opportunities Officer and AccessAbility Tutor is Dr Richard Butler ([email protected]). The School’s Health and Safety Officer is Dr Andy Tams ([email protected]). Student Communications and Personal Details The University keeps a record of your personal details such as your full name, addresses (home address and termtime address), telephone numbers, personal email address and your emergency contact details. It is important to keep your details up to date as this will help you to receive information about your studies and exams and also ensure that official documents are provided to you with the correct name details. You can check and update your details by logging-in to MyStudentRecord http://mystudentrecord.le.ac.uk using your University username and password. Click on the My Details tab and you will then be able to review and change your personal details. Learn at Leicester Whatever your subject or level of study, there are many, many different ways in which you can access academic advice and support. The Learn at Leicester webpage provides you with further details of this support, together with direct links to a wide range of resources and services to help you: SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 13 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Make the most of the Library Develop your IT skills Manage your own learning Improve your English language Get independent advice about your course Manage your student information Sharpen your mathematics and statistics skills You can access all of this by visiting: www.le.ac.uk/learnatleicester University Library The Library is your gateway to high quality information relevant to your studies. Using it effectively contributes directly to your success. The Library provides you with: • • • • • access to a huge range of specialist digital and print information resources for your subject; help in finding and using information - online, face to face and by telephone; individual and group study space; PCs and wireless networking for your own device throughout the David Wilson Library; services for distance learners. The Library is a shared resource for all members of the University. Please respect it and observe the Library regulations available at www.le.ac.uk/library/about. To get started, visit www.le.ac.uk/library. For information about your subject, please visit [insert hyperlink to relevant Library subject page - see guidance notes for how to find it] IT Services Whilst studying at the University you will have a University IT account and email address. There are hundreds of University PCs available with Office 2013 and many specialist programs to help you with your studies. Visit www.le.ac.uk/it4students for more information about: • • • • • • • • • • Student email: access your email and calendar anywhere; on your laptop or mobile device Printing: print from any device to a University printer Microsoft Office: available at no cost whilst you study at the University IT Help: visit the Help Zone in the Library, phone 0116 252 2253, ithelp.le.ac.uk for IT Self Service, web chat or email [email protected] IT Training: attend our workshops in Word, PowerPoint and Excel Wifi: free access to eduroam wifi on campus, in student accommodation or at other universities PCs on campus: there are over 900 PCs available, with 350 located in the David Wilson Library (including 24/7 access during exam periods) OneDrive: the online storage location for all your files Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment: support and information for all your courses Leicester Digital Library: access to journals, databases and electronic books online Learn a New Language with Languages at Leicester There are many benefits to learning a new language. Not only could you enhance your career prospects and broaden your cultural horizons, but studies show that you could also improve your literacy skills, boost your memory, increase your attention span and even help to grow your brain! SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 14 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Study with the Languages at Leicester Team on campus, and you will be taught by expert native tutors who are based within our School of Modern Languages, which has been ranked 3rd in the country in the University League Tables, The Guardian University Guide 2016. We offer 16 different languages including Arabic, British Sign Language, Chinese, German, Korean and Spanish to name just a few, six levels of learning and two course lengths, so you can study in a way that suits you. Classes take place during evenings and Wednesday afternoons, as well as intensive ‘fast track’ courses on Saturday mornings. Find out more about Languages at Leicester, including fees and term dates at: www.le.ac.uk/ml/lal. The successful completion of a Languages at Leicester course will appear on your Higher Education Achievement Report (HEAR) when you graduate. For further details about the HEAR, please visit: www.le.ac.uk/hear. Contact: Languages at Leicester +44(0)116 252 2662 | [email protected] | www.le.ac.uk/ml/lal University Facilities There are various support services which the University provides, including Student Welfare Service, Student Psychological and Healthy Living Service (for further information please refer to the ‘Personal Support for Students’ section in this Handbook on page 32). In addition to the services described in, your attention is also drawn to the English Language Teaching Unit www2.le.ac.uk/offices/eltu and the Chaplaincy www2.le.ac.uk/institution/chaplaincy. University Bookshop The Bookshop is owned by the University and is located on the ground floor of the David Wilson Library. All prescribed and recommended texts are stocked, so that students can rely on the Bookshop for the books that they need in the course of their studies. We also sell a wide range of paperbacks and books of general interest. Books not in stock can be quickly provided to order. The Bookshop has a range of deals in the Autumn term which are exclusively for students. Greetings cards, a wide range of stationery items and University of Leicester branded merchandise and clothing are always available. The opening hours are: Monday to Friday 9.00 a.m. - 5.30 p.m. (5.00 p.m. in vacations) Saturday 10.00 a.m. - 2.00 p.m. Contact: University Bookshop, David Wilson Library +44 (0)116 229 7440 | [email protected] | www.le.ac.uk/bookshop Twitter: @LeicUniBookshop | Facebook: www.facebook.com/UoLBookshop Student Learning Development Studying for a degree is a stimulating, challenging and rewarding experience. In order to make the most of this experience, the University of Leicester provides a wide range of resources and services to support and enhance your academic development in areas such as essay-writing, critical thinking, independent learning and timemanagement. The Student Learning Development Team is here to help you develop the skills and abilities you need in order to succeed in your studies. To find out more about how we can help you develop your academic skills and abilities, visit our website: www.le.ac.uk/succeedinyourstudies. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 15 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES BA History and BA Contemporary History students will undertake collaborative curriculum-level work with the Learning Development Team with module HS2001 Group Projects. Two sessions for this module will be facilitated by Learning Development on group work and presentation skills. Students’ Union Education Unit (ED) Education help and advice is provided by the Students’ Union for all students. If you would find it helpful to talk to someone outside of your department, we offer a free, confidential service to help and advise you about where to go and what to do. If you wish to come and talk to us about your personal circumstances or academic worries, for example, exams or putting together an academic appeal, we will provide professional and friendly support. You will find the Education Unit staff in the Students’ Union Building on the first floor, within the West Wing. Opening hours are 10.00 am to 4.00 pm, and you can either pop in or book an appointment by contacting us on the following details: Contact: Students’ Union Education Unit (ED), Students’ Union (First Floor) +44 (0)116 223 1132 | [email protected] | http://leicesterunion.com/support/education Online chat facilities are also available for appointments and drop in sessions. Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/talktoED (Drop in on Wednesdays, 3:30pm-4:30pm) Skype - @ed_ucation1 (Drop in on Tuesdays, 9am-10am) University Regulations Senate Regulations (www.le.ac.uk/sas/regulations) contain rules and other important information about being an undergraduate or taught postgraduate student at the University of Leicester. The Regulations are part of the formal contract between you and the University; you will have confirmed when completing registration that you will comply with procedures defined in the University’s Regulations. The Quick Guide to Student Responsibilities (www.le.ac.uk/sas/regulations/responsibilities) summarises some of your most important responsibilities as a student at Leicester, as defined in detail in the Regulations. These responsibilities relate to: attendance submission of work by set deadlines term time employment (full-time students – Home/EU and International) illness or other circumstances impacting upon studies maintaining your personal details the additional responsibilities of international students Failure to adhere to student responsibilities can have serious consequences and may lead to the termination of your studies. Student Responsibilities The University expects its students to behave responsibly and with consideration to others at all times. The University’s expectations about student behaviour are described in: the Student Charter the Regulations governing Student Discipline the Student Code of Social Responsibility the Code of Practice governing Freedom of Speech SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 16 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES the University’s regulatory statement concerning Harassment and Discrimination These can be found at www.le.ac.uk/senate-regulations Attendance Requirements Attendance and engagement with your course is an essential requirement for success in your studies. The University’s expectations about attendance are defined in Senate Regulation 4: governing student obligations (see www.le.ac.uk/senate-regulation4). Full-time students must reside in Leicester, or within easy commuting distance of the city, for the duration of each semester. You should attend all lectures, seminars, practical sessions and other formal classes specified in your course timetable, unless you have been officially advised that attendance at a particular session is not compulsory or you have received formal approval for absence. You are also expected to undertake all assessments set for you. The University operates a Student Attendance Monitoring procedure. Your attendance will be monitored throughout the academic year and if sessions are missed without an acceptable explanation being provided to your S then neglect of academic obligations procedures will be initiated. This may result in your course of study being terminated. You should always be punctual for classes, and inform your tutor at the beginning if, for any reason, you have to leave early. You should always turn up at a class having done some work and be willing and able to join in discussion – even if it is only to say that you do not understand the point under consideration. Tutors have the right to ask students who clearly have not done sufficient work, or who are disruptive, to leave classes, and to send away whole groups who have not made a reasonable effort to prepare. If you miss a class you must complete the ‘Notification of Absence’ form found on the School Website as soon as possible www2.le.ac.uk/departments/history/current/absences and email the tutor to inform them that you will not be in attendance. If your absence is for more than 5 days you must, as well as completing a ‘Notification of Absence Form’, complete a Mitigating Circumstances form and submit this to the School Office along with supporting evidence. If you are an international student and your course is terminated this will be reported to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), in line with University sponsor obligations. The School will be monitoring all seminars and lectures and therefore it is essential that you attend all of your classes. If your absence is deemed to be an issue the School will contact you via your University email address. If absences go unexplained for a prolonged period the School will be forced to make a recommendation that your studies are terminated. Non-attendance at tutorials or seminars will have the following result: Unauthorised Absences Action STAGE 1: Absent for 7 consecutive calendar days Student will be reminded of the need to attend. STAGE 2: Absent for 14 consecutive calendar Student must report to their personal tutor or the days School office. STAGE 3: Absent for 21 consecutive calendar Student issued with official warning from the days School that continued non-attendance is a neglect of their academic obligations and may result in a withdrawal of registration. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 17 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES STAGE 4: Absent for 28 consecutive calendar Neglect of academic obligations procedures days initiated, and students issued with a notification of intent to withdraw registration. Students have five working days to appeal to the School with evidence against their withdrawal. Neglect of Academic Obligations You are expected to attend all learning and teaching events which are timetabled for you. These include lectures, tutorials or practical classes. You are also expected to submit work within the deadlines notified to you. Persistent failure to attend taught sessions and/or to submit work, without good cause, will be considered to be a neglect of academic obligations. Departmental procedures for dealing with neglect are set out within the University’s regulations (see http://www.le.ac.uk/senate-regulation4 ‘Neglect of academic obligations’). In the most serious of cases of neglect the University has the right to terminate a student’s course. Examination Regulations If your course involves any exams you must ensure that you are familiar with the University's Examination Regulations (www.le.ac.uk/sas/assessments/examregs). These contain a variety of regulatory information and instructions relating to exams, including the rules governing: scheduling admittance student conduct permitted and prohibited items and clothing use of calculators and dictionaries absence due to illness cheating You can also find information about exams in the Students’ Guide to Exams (www.le.ac.uk/sas/assessments/examsguide) It is your responsibility to find out the time and place of your examinations and to make sure that you attend. You must ensure that you carefully check the final version of the examination timetable, as there may be changes from the provisional version. If you fail to attend an examination, you will normally be allowed to ‘resit’ the next time that the examination is held providing you have not exhausted your available resit opportunities or lost your right to resit. However, if resitting an exam the maximum mark that can be awarded is the bare pass mark of 40%. Exceptions to this can only be granted where there is documented evidence that attendance was made impossible by a mitigating circumstance. In these cases, students will be permitted a further ‘first sit’ of the examination from which the marks will count in full. If you miss an examination for such a reason, you must submit a ‘mitigating circumstances form’ and appropriate documentary evidence (medical certificate, letter from welfare services, etc.) to the School Office within 7 days from the missed examination. If you are unable to obtain mitigating evidence within 7 days from the missed examination please let the School Office know as soon as possible. Please note that an error on your part as to the time or place of the examination will not be accepted as proper grounds for permitting a ‘first sit’. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 18 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Employment Part-time employment is not accepted as an excuse for absence from classes, late submission of work, or examination failure. The University Regulations state that as a full-time student you should not work for more than 15 hours per week. This applies whether you are a home or an international student. If you are an international student you should note that the University's Regulations about term-time employment may be different to those enforced by the Home Office. You must make sure that you comply with both the University and the Home Office's rules. Course details Programme and Module Specifications View the programme and module specifications for your course via www.le.ac.uk/sas/courses In the programme specification you will find a summary of the aims of your course of study and its learning outcomes, alongside details of its teaching and learning methods and means of assessment. The programme specification also identifies the core modules that make up the course and any choice of optional modules. Each module has its own specification that formally records that module’s aims, teaching and learning methods, assessment components and their percentage weighting. Change of Course/Module Discuss your options with your personal tutor, or another appropriate member of staff in your department, if you are considering a change of course or module. Changes of course or module require approval by your department and will only be allowed in certain circumstances. See www.le.ac.uk/sas/courses/transfercourse or www.le.ac.uk/sas/courses/transfermodule for details of the procedures involved and deadlines that apply. Modules and Credits All programmes consist of a number of modules, each of which is rated at 10 or 20 credits. The credit rating which a module is given indicates the amount of work and time which is involved in taking the course. The University expects students to spend 150 hours of work on a 20 credit module; some of this will be in lectures and classes, but the main part will be spent as ‘private study’ time - reading about the subject and preparing the coursework. Throughout the University, on all degree programmes, full-time students take modules each year which add up to a total of 120 credits. Normally, this means following 60 credits of courses in the first semester, and 60 credits in the second semester (with the exception of the History & Archaeology and Ancient History & History joint degrees, the syllabus produces a split of 50 credits in one semester and 70 in the other). First-Year Course Structures BA HISTORY Semester 1 HS1000 Making History HS1001 Barbarism and Civilisation: Medieval and Early Modern Europe HS1002 The Shock of the Modern 20 credits 20 credits 20 credits Semester total 60 credits Semester 2 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 19 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES HS1100 People and Places 20 credits Choose two 20 credit modules from: 40 credits HS1012 Connections and Cultures in a Changing World, 1750 to the present HS1013 Great Britain: The State we’re in HS1016 Europe 1861-1991: Emancipation and Subjugation AM1004 American History since 1877 Semester total 60 credits BA HISTORY & AMERICAN STUDIES Semester 1 AM1001 Freedom Written in Blood: United States History, 1776-1877 AM1003 Introduction to U.S. Politics HS1002 The Shock of the Modern 20 credits 20 credits 20 credits Semester total 60 credits Semester 2 AM1004 American History since 1877 20 credits Choose two 20 credit modules from: 40 Credits HS1012 Connections and Cultures in a Changing World, 1750 to the present HS1013 Great Britain: The State we’re in HS1016 Europe 1861-1991: Emancipation and Subjugation Semester total 60 credits BA HISTORY & ARCHAEOLOGY Semester 1 AR1004 Introduction to World Archaeology BC AR1007 Archaeology: the Essentials HS1001 Barbarism and Civilisation: Medieval and Early Modern Europe 20 credits 10 credits 20 credits Semester total 50 credits Semester 2 AR1005 Introduction to World Archaeology AD AR1011 Archaeology Fieldschool Choose two 20 credit modules from: HS1012 Connections and Cultures in a Changing World, 1750 to the present HS1013 Great Britain: The State we’re in HS1016 Europe 1861-1991: Emancipation and Subjugation AM1004 American History since 1877 Semester total 20 credits 10 credits 40 credits 70 credits BA HISTORY & POLITICS Semester 1 HS1002 The Shock of the Modern 20 credits PL1015 Cold War, Crisis and Confrontation: International Relations, 1945-1989 20 credits PL1019 Politics, Power and Ethics 20 credits Semester total 60 credits Semester 2 Choose two 20 credit modules from: 40 credits HS1012 Connections and Cultures in a Changing World, 1750 to the present HS1013 Great Britain: The State we’re in HS1016 Europe 1861-1991: Emancipation and Subjugation AM1004 American History since 1877 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 20 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Choose one 20 credit module from: 20 credits PL1012 Comparative European Politics PL1016 Order and Disorder: International Relations from 1989 to the Present Semester total 60 credits BA ANCIENT HISTORY & HISTORY Semester 1 AH1009 Approaching Ancient Evidence (Roman) AH1011 Introduction to Roman History HS1001 Barbarism and Civilisation: Medieval and Early Modern Europe 10 credits 20 credits 20 credits Semester total 50 credits Semester 2 AH1008 Approaching Ancient Evidence (Greek) 10 credits AH1010 Introduction to Greek history 20 credits Choose two 20 credit modules from: 40 credits HS1012 Connections and Cultures in a Changing World, 1750 to the present HS1013 Great Britain: The State we’re in HS1016 Europe 1861-1991: Emancipation and Subjugation AM1004 American History since 1877 Semester total 70 credits BA CONTEMPORARY HISTORY Semester 1 HS1000 Making History 20 credits HS1002 The Shock of the Modern 20 credits PL1015 Cold War, Crisis and Confrontation: International Relations, 1945-1989 20 credits Semester total 60 credits Semester 2 HS1100 People and Places 20 credits Choose one 20 credit module from: 20 credits HS1012 Connections and Cultures in a Changing World, 1750 to the present HS1013 Great Britain: The State we’re in HS1016 Europe 1861-1991: Emancipation and Subjugation AM1004 American History since 1877 Choose one 20 credit module from: 20 credits PL1012 Comparative European Politics PL1016 Order and Disorder: International Relations from 1989 to the Present 20 credits Semester total 60 credits BA ENGLISH & HISTORY Semester 1 EN1010 Reading English HS1001 Barbarism and Civilisation: Medieval and Early Modern Europe HS1002 The Shock of the Modern 20 credits 20 credits 20 credits Semester total 60 credits Semester 2 EN1040 History of the English Language EN1050 Renaissance Drama: Shakespeare and his Contemporaries Choose one 20 credit module from: HS1012 Connections and Cultures in a Changing World, 1750 to the present SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 20 credits 20 credits 20 credits UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 21 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES HS1013 Great Britain: The State we’re in HS1016 Europe 1861-1991: Emancipation and Subjugation AM1004 American History since 1877 Semester total 60 credits BA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS & HISTORY Semester 1 HS1002 The Shock of the Modern PL1015 Cold War, Crisis and Confrontation: International Relations, 1945-1989 PL1020 Classics of International Relations Semester total 20 credits 20 credits 20 credits 60 credits Semester 2 PL1016 Order and Disorder: International Relations from 1989 to the Present 20 credits Choose two 20 credit modules from: 40 credits HS1012 Connections and Cultures in a Changing World, 1750 to the present HS1013 Great Britain: The State we’re in HS1016 Europe 1861-1991: Emancipation and Subjugation AM1004 American History since 1877 Semester total 60 credits Second and Third Year Course Structures As mentioned on page earlier, you can view the programme and module specifications for your course via www.le.ac.uk/sas/courses/documentation Second and Third Year BA History Students Learn a language and enhance your employability prospects Although you have chosen to study History at Leicester, there are also excellent opportunities to acquire a new language or improve a language you have already learned at school, whether for GCSE or A-Level. You do not have to participate in the Erasmus Scheme to learn a language: if you are taking single honours you can do it as part of your ordinary degree. Being able to speak a second language is becoming more and more important in securing a job in a very competitive job market. Good language skills are second only to good IT skills in employers' lists of desirable attributes when selecting candidates for a job. They are also looking for graduates who have knowledge of other cultures. If you already have language competence in French, Spanish or Italian, you may be able to take an optional module in the School of Modern Languages. A language module is a year-long 20-credit module, which is assessed in both semester through continuous assessment, and through a written and an oral examination at the end of the year. These modules are not suitable for beginners: if you wish to learn a language from scratch, you will need to enrol on a course with Languages@Leicester. The 'culture' modules are worth 20 credits and would therefore replace your optional module as normal. Further details of the culture modules available can be found on the School of Modern Languages website. If you are interested in taking a module in Modern Languages you should discuss it first with your Personal Tutor, and then contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies. NB Because of the structure of the joint degree programme the opportunity to take a module in Modern Languages is only available to BA History students. However, all students can take advantage of the courses run by Languages@Leicester. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 22 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES ERASMUS Exchanges, Years Abroad, Industrial Placements As a history student you have the opportunity to extend your degree from three to four years and spend your third year abroad. You could choose to spend your year in either Europe or other world-wide destinations including Australia. A. The Erasmus Scheme The Erasmus scheme aims to help the people of Europe to get to know each other better through encouraging student mobility amongst the member states of the European Union. To this end the School participates in an extensive network of history departments in European countries (see the list below). The most important element of the scheme for Leicester students is the ‘Student Exchange Programme’. Students from any department in an Erasmus network can elect to spend part of their undergraduate career studying in one of the other participating universities. Students on any of the School’s degrees can take part in an exchange co-ordinated by the School. Joint degree students may also take part in the exchange schemes co-ordinated by their other departments. The Erasmus scheme is funded by the European Union. British students who take part in the Erasmus student exchange pay tuition fees (currently £1,250) to Leicester for their year abroad. No fees are paid to the host European university. In addition to any loans they may have negotiated, they receive an additional grant from the Erasmus scheme to cover the additional expenses incurred as a result of their study at the host university: fares, accommodation, a local cost of living differential, and so forth. This additional grant has always been quite generous, and is unrelated to parental income. Before allocating you to a specific University your language proficiency will be assessed. Language classes organized through the ‘Languages@Leicester’ scheme are available for all students participating in the Erasmus exchange and, in the second year only, at a subsidised cost. Through the Erasmus exchange students gain fluency in a foreign language as well as find it a rewarding experience to live and study abroad. If you decide to take part in an Erasmus exchange from within the School of History, Politics & International Relations you normally study abroad for a full academic year. This enables students to add a year abroad at a partner university to their three years at Leicester. Students who register at the beginning of their first year on the Single Subject History degree or on a joint degree with History can transfer to the four-year degree at any time before the end of their first semester of their second year at Leicester; they will then spend their third year abroad, and return to Leicester for their final (fourth) year. Students intending to spend a year abroad as a part of this scheme will need to transfer to the 4 year version of their degree course before starting their second year, i.e. before the start of the summer vacation preceding their second year. This is to ensure full funding for the four years of the course. Overview of host universities (Erasmus): University Website Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, GERMANY www.hu-berlin.de Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, GERMANY www.uni-muenchen.de Universitat de Valencia, SPAIN www.uv.es Université de Reims Champagne Ardenne, FRANCE www.univ-reims.fr Université de Strasbourg, FRANCE www.unistra.fr Università degli studi di Pisa, ITALY www.unipi.it Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam, THE NETHERLANDS www.eur.nl SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 23 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES B. Study Abroad Scheme The University has links with Universities world-wide. As with the Erasmus scheme students on a ‘Study Abroad’ scheme still pay fees to the University while they are away. Unlike the Erasmus scheme there is no financial assistance for travel or maintenance. In recent years a few history students have opted to spend a year in Australia. This scheme is coordinated centrally by the International Office and monitored in the School of History, Politics & International Relations by the Erasmus Officer. Overview of host universities (Study Abroad): University Website Flinders University, Adelaide AUSTRALIA www.flinders.edu.au/ La Trobe University, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA www.latrobe.edu.au/ Deakin University, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA www.deakin.edu.au/ University of Western Australia, Perth, AUSTRALIA www.uwa.edu.au/ University of Windsor, Windsor, CANADA www.uwindsor.ca/ University of Hong Kong www.hku.hk/ Waseda University, Tokyo JAPAN www.waseda.jp Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, KOREA www.skku.edu/eng_home/in dex.jsp Other placements are possible which can be discussed with the School and the International Office The following regulations apply to both the ‘Erasmus’ and ‘Study Abroad’ schemes: i. Students will normally be expected to take three academic modules totalling no more than 12 contact hours per week (i.e. a work load consistent with that in their second or final years but allowing for study in a foreign language) per semester. Of these three modules at least two should be taught in the language of the country the student is visiting. Language issues do not apply to Australia or Malta. ii. Students are also expected to take extra language-learning modules to support their academic work. The modules will not form part of the assessment of the year out, but the School needs to see evidence that at least one of these modules was taken. Failure to complete additional language instruction may affect the Board of Examiners’ recommendations if students fail the year abroad. iii. With the exception of BA History & American Studies students who are spending their year in America, assessment of the year abroad will be on a pass/fail basis, i.e. students must obtain a minimum of a pass in each academic module for which they are registered to proceed to the final year. In the case of a failure in one or two academic modules an average of the six academic modules may be accepted if it produces a pass mark. If there is a failure in more than two modules, students will be required to complete work in lieu as determined by the School’s Erasmus Officer and School’s Examinations Officer. Failure in the academic modules and in the work in lieu will mean that a student is reverted to the three-year programme, subject to the discretion of the School’s Board of Examiners. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 24 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES More information about the scheme will be circulated in the autumn term of your first year, and a meeting will be held for all those who might be interested in taking up the scheme. In the meantime, enquiries about any aspect of Erasmus can be made to the School’s Erasmus Officer by any student taking BA History or a joint degree. To take part in the Erasmus programme students must pass all modules in years 1 and 2, and achieve a minimum credit weighted average mark of 60 in year 2. They must also have learned the language of the destination country, providing the Office with a language certificate as evidence of satisfactory completion of training through the 'Languages@Leicester scheme' or an appropriate alternative. Failure to meet these criteria will lead to the School not permitting a student to continue on their year abroad, therefore recommending transfer to the 3-year degree by the Board of Examiners. Exceptional circumstances relating to health, family etc. will be taken into account in reviewing performance. Therefore you must ensure that you inform the School via normal procedures if you encounter any difficulties during your first or second year. Unfortunately no places are guaranteed as we do add and remove partners from time to time, and places are subject to availability and academic performance. Contact information: School’s Erasmus Officer: Dr Prashant Kidambi ([email protected]) International Office Erasmus Team Erasmus Coordinator: Bloeme Bergmann Erasmus Assistant: Nalina Pattni Tel: +44 (0)116 252 5142 Email: [email protected] Study Abroad Team Study Abroad Coordinator – Peter Hough Study Abroad Adviser (Canada, Latin America and USA) – Julie Leverett Study Abroad Adviser (Asia, Australasia and Europe) – Lucy Stubbs Tel: +44(0)116 5687 Email: [email protected] Teaching Timetable For details of the timetabling of History modules, you can go to the Student Homepage on ‘MyStudentRecord’ and view your lectures, tutorials, seminars etc. Click on https://srs.le.ac.uk Log in with your university IT account name and password (please note that you must have completed registration to have access to these pages). Please note that the timetable displays on a week by week basis. You are strongly advised to log in regularly as timetables may change and the group you are allocated to may change, particularly in the first few weeks of term. If any alterations are made to the timetable then they will automatically show up on your personalised timetable. An announcement will also be posted on Blackboard. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 25 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Marking and Assessment Practices The marking scheme for History at Leicester can be found in the Undergraduate Assessment Handbook found on the School’s website (www2.le.ac.uk/departments/history/current) and on the ‘Undergraduate Information and Resources’ Blackboard site. Student anonymity will be preserved during the marking of all formal examinations. Summative coursework (i.e. coursework that contributes to your module mark or grade) will be marked anonymously unless there are sound educational reasons for not doing so, or the type of assessment makes marking impractical. Each programme at the University has one or more External Examiners, who are members of staff of other institutions that review the academic standards at the University and confirm that these are appropriate and comparable with other Universities. The External Examiners for your courses are listed at: www.le.ac.uk/sas/assessments/external/current-undergraduate Ethical Approval of Student Projects Conducting Oral History Interviews If you are researching a contemporary or near-contemporary issue, you may wish to employ oral history evidence and undertake interviews to obtain it. This can be very fruitful but you must be aware that research projects involving ‘living human subjects’ can raise ethical issues. Therefore your research must comply with the university’s Research Ethics Code of Practice, which can be accessed at www2.le.ac.uk/institution/committees/research-ethics/code-of-practice More generally, you will find it useful to read Alan Ward, ‘Is your oral history legal and ethical?’, www.concernedhistorians.org/content_files/file/ET/187.pdf [accessed 1 September 2014]. The University Protocol for Ethical Approval of student work is available at www2.le.ac.uk/institution/committees/research-ethics/protocol-for-ethical-approval-of-student-work-nonclinical-research-on-human-subjects Anyone undertaking interviews must complete a University Research Ethics form and have it approved by the School’s Research Ethics Officer. You can access this form online at www2.le.ac.uk/institution/committees/research-ethics/review The School’s Research Ethics Officer is Prof David Gentilcore (email [email protected], telephone 0116 252 2834). Coursework Submission It is essential that you follow the School’s Style Guide and submission procedures. Failure to do so, or failure to submit on time will result in penalties. If you are a first year this can have implications on your progress as you must pass every element of assessment in order to pass a module. Failure to follow the School’s requirements is not an acceptable reason for removal of penalties. For detailed information on coursework submission, please consult the Undergraduate Assessment Handbook, the Style Guide and the Online Submission and Feedback Guide. All the above can be found on both the ‘Information and Resources’ Blackboard site and the ‘For Current Students’ website page. University Statement on Coursework Submission You should make sure that you submit your assignments by their due date to avoid any marks being deducted for lateness. Penalties for late submission of coursework follow the University scheme defined in Regulations SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 26 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES 2016-17 governing the assessment of taught programmes www.le.ac.uk/sas/assessments/late-submission). (see www.le.ac.uk/senate-regulation7 or Late Submission of Coursework: Waiving of Penalties University Policy states that departments may waive late submission penalties where mitigating circumstances were a contributory factor in failure to meet the course deadline. Failure to follow the correct procedure for application of waiver of late submission penalties will result in penalties being applied. For full details on how to apply for this, consult the Undergraduate Assessment Handbook and the ‘Undergraduate Information and Resources’ Blackboard site. Feedback and the Return of Work from Staff Coursework The School complies with the University’s policy for the return of marked coursework (see www.le.ac.uk/sas/quality/student-feedback/return-of-marked-work for details of the full policy: General principles: Feedback and provisional grading on coursework will be returned within 21 days of the submission date; In exceptional circumstances where this is not possible, you will be notified in advance of the expected return date and the reasons for the longer turn-round time and where possible staff will provide some interim feedback: for example in the form of generic feedback to the class regarding common errors and potential areas for improvement. Examinations *see guidance notes about additional content The School complies with the University’s policy for the return feedback on examinations (see www.le.ac.uk/sas/quality/student-feedback/return-of-marked-work for details of the full policy: General principles: • • Following the approval of the provisional results by examination boards, departments will make the results available to students within 14 days. Where appropriate this will include a breakdown at the level of the examination and coursework. Departments will arrange for feedback on examination performance to be provided. Overall module marks are not confirmed until the relevant Panel or Board of Examiners has met at the end of the semester, therefore you may not receive your mark and feedback for the final piece of assessment within the standard turnaround time. For further information regarding feedback, including examination feedback and the release of examination and module marks, consult the Undergraduate Assessment Handbook. Progression and Classification of Awards The University’s system for the classification of awards and the rules of progression are defined in Senate Regulation 5: Regulations governing undergraduate programmes of study (www.le.ac.uk/senate-regulation5) Alternatively, refer to the Student and Academic Services website for information about degree classification and progression: www.le.ac.uk/sas/assessments/progression-ug Any specific progression requirements for your course are stated in its programme specification (see www.le.ac.uk/sas/courses/documentation). Full details regarding the progression requirements and specific module requirements can be found in the Undergraduate Assessment Handbook (found on the School’s website www2.le.ac.uk/departments/history/current and on the ‘Undergraduate Information and Resources’ Blackboard SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 27 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES site). It is very important that you make yourself aware of the contents of this, as specific requirements may apply to you, for example in your first year in order to be credited with a module you will need to have submitted ALL pieces of coursework AND have to have passed ALL assignments with at least a pass mark of 40 or greater. Complaints and Academic Appeals Procedures The University has robust systems in place governing the quality and standards of its degree programmes and your experience as a student here. We are confident that, like the vast majority of students here, you will enjoy and be satisfied with your course. In most instances your department will be able to resolve any issues that do occur but we recognise that this will not always be possible. For this reason, the University has official procedures that allow eligible cases to be formally reviewed. Information about these procedures, including the relevant forms, can be found on the Student and Academic Services website: see www.le.ac.uk/sas/regulations/appeals-complaints. These pages should be read in conjunction with the University’s Regulations governing student appeals (www.le.ac.uk/senate-regulation10) and Regulations governing student complaints (www.le.ac.uk/senate-regulation12). Referencing and Academic Integrity Principles of academic integrity apply to the work of everyone at the University, staff and students alike, and reflect the University’s commitment to maintaining the highest ethical and academic standards. A key part of this is acknowledging where and when, in the process of producing your own work, you have drawn on the work of others. In practice, this means that the ideas, data, information, quotations and illustrations you use in assignments, presentations, reports, research projects etc. must be credited to their original author(s). This process of crediting the work of others is achieved through referencing (see the section below on ‘Referencing styles’). Failure to do this properly is to risk committing plagiarism: the repetition or paraphrasing of someone else’s work without proper acknowledgement. What we mean by ‘plagiarism’, ‘self-plagiarism’ and ‘collusion’ Plagiarism is used as a general term to describe taking and using another’s thoughts and writings and presenting them as if they are our own. Examples of forms of plagiarism include: • the verbatim (word for word) copying of another’s work without appropriate and correctly presented acknowledgement; • the close paraphrasing of another’s work by simply changing a few words or altering the order of presentation, with or without appropriate and correctly presented acknowledgement; • unacknowledged quotation of phrases from another’s work; • the presentation of another’s concept as one’s own; • the reproduction of a student’s own work when it has been previously submitted and marked but is presented as original material (self-plagiarism). Collusion is where work is prepared or produced with others but then submitted for assessment as if it were the product of individual effort. Unless specifically instructed otherwise, all work you submit for assessment should be your own and must not be work previously submitted for assessment either at Leicester or elsewhere. For more detailed information on how the university defines these practices, see also: www.le.ac.uk/sas/assessments/plagiarism The University regards plagiarism and collusion as very serious offences and so they are subject to strict penalties. The penalties that departments are authorised to apply are defined in the Regulations governing SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 28 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES student discipline (see www.le.ac.uk/senate-regulation11 ‘Plagiarism and collusion: Departmental penalties for plagiarism and/or collusion). Resources and advice to help you study with integrity and avoid committing plagiarism Negotiating these various rules, regulations and conventions can sometimes be a challenge, especially if they are new or different from previous experiences of studying. Check the Student Learning Development website for guidance on how to manage your studies so that you meet the required standards of critical scholarship and academic integrity: www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/resources/study/plagiarism-tutorial If you are in any doubt about what constitutes good practice, ask your personal/academic tutors for advice or make an appointment with Student Learning Development for individual advice. You can book an appointment online by visiting: www.le.ac.uk/succeedinyourstudies . One of the most important practices in ensuring the academic integrity of your work is proper referencing. The following section contains details of how to ensure your work meets the specific referencing requirements for the discipline(s) you are studying. Referencing style You must use a consistent referencing style when referring to books and other publications that you have read for your coursework. Most subject areas have a specific referencing style which you are required to use. If you are on a Joint or Major/Minor programme you may find that your subjects use different referencing styles and it is important that you use the correct ones. To find out which referencing style each department uses, and for information and help on each referencing style, please visit http://www.le.ac.uk/library/help/referencing. Requirements differ on how to arrange bibliographies (complete list of all reference and other sources at the end of your coursework) and whether references are included within the word count for your coursework – please refer to any separate guidance provided on these points. Study guides Guidance on Avoiding Plagiarism and Referencing and Bibliographies is available from Careers Service Zone on the 2nd floor of the David Wilson Library and from the Careers Service Website www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/sd/ld/help-with/plagiarism University Statements on Plagiarism The University views academic integrity as one of the foundations of academic development. A key part of this is the acknowledgement of the work of others. You must always be sure that you credit ideas, data, information, quotations and illustrations to their original author. Not to do so is plagiarism: the repetition or paraphrasing of someone else’s work without proper acknowledgement. The University expects students to conduct their studies with exemplary standards of academic honesty and will penalise students who submit work, or parts of work, that have been: • • • • • plagiarised; completed with others for individual assessment (collusion); previously submitted for assessment, including self-plagiarism; prepared by others; supplied to another for copying. For further information regarding Referencing and Academic Integrity, consult the Undergraduate Assessment Handbook found on the School’s website www2.le.ac.uk/departments/history/current. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-17 29 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Mitigating Circumstances The University recognises that students may suffer from a sudden illness or other serious event or set of circumstances which adversely affects their ability to complete an assessment or the results they obtain for an assessment. In such cases the mitigating circumstances regulations and procedures may be applied. These regulations are designed to ensure the fair and consistent treatment of all students. You must keep your department(s) informed at all times of any personal circumstances that may impact upon your ability to study or undertake assessments. Tell your department(s) or Distance Learning Hub about any such circumstances at the time they occur. You need to supply supporting documentation (e.g. a medical certificate) as soon as possible and no later than the deadline relevant to the assessment(s) affected. Normally, the deadline for submission of a mitigating circumstances claim will be no later than five working days after the assessment deadline to which it relates. See www.le.ac.uk/sas/regulations/mitigation for full details of the mitigating circumstances regulations and procedures, including the University’s definition of a mitigating circumstance. University Regulation and School Policy on Illness and Mitigating Circumstances Where an illness affects assessment, attendance at examinations or is of more than five working days’ duration, medical advice should be sought and a medical certificate submitted to the University. Students are responsible for collecting medical certificates from the Victoria Park Health Centre and supplying a copy to their department. Students registered with other general practices should ensure that their medical certificates are similarly distributed. Please note that if illness affects attendance at examinations it is vital you contact your general practitioner as soon as possible, as they will be unable to verify ill-health retrospectively. If illness affects attendance but does not impact on your assessment performance and the absence is of less than seven days’ duration, you are required to inform the School. This is done by filling in a self-certified ‘Notification of Absence’ form as soon as you are fit to do so. This form is available from the School’s website (www2.le.ac.uk/departments/history/current/absences). You must obtain medical evidence from a qualified medical practitioner to cover absence caused by illness, whatever its duration, if you believe it has adversely affected your performance in an assessment. You cannot self-certify illness in this instance. It is the responsibility of students who are required to produce medical evidence of fitness to continue or resume study to acquire such evidence by the date specified to them by the Registry, the Graduate Office or the Board of Examiners. Victoria Park Health Centre charges the University for providing medical certificates and reports. Students and tutors may be asked to complete an application form before a letter is written (this request form is submitted to Victoria Park Health Centre through the Student Welfare Service for audit purposes). Other general practices may charge for providing reports and such charges must be met by the student concerned. In the 2015-16 session any information about mitigating circumstances that is not received by the School Office by Monday 06 June 2016 cannot be considered. Please note that the presentation of medical or other special circumstances does not of itself guarantee that academic concessions will be granted. However, cases are always considered on their merits in the light of the extent to which the adverse circumstances might reasonably be deemed to have affected a student's performance or justified a failure to meet deadlines. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 30 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Personal Support for Students Departmental Student Support Arrangements From discussion of academic progress, to friendly advice on personal matters, personal tutors are there to provide support, advice and guidance on an individual level. Common topics for discussion may include course changes, study progress, module choices, exam results, career opportunities or more personal problems such as accommodation or financial difficulties. The School’s Personal Tutor system operates in accordance with the Code of Practice on Personal Support for Students: www.le.ac.uk/sas/quality/personaltutor. Your Personal Tutor should be the member of staff which you approach if you need help or advice. If you need immediate assistance and your Personal Tutor is unavailable, you should contact the Senior Tutor for your year. Equally, if you cannot contact the Senior Tutor, you must call in to the School Office on the 7th floor of the Attenborough Tower for assistance. Equal Opportunities Please refer to Administrative Responsibilities under the ‘Key Contacts’ section of the handbook. University Student Support Arrangements Student Services Centre The Student Services Centre in the Charles Wilson Building provides you with convenient and easy access to many support services all in one place. The recent move involves six services including: Student Welfare, Student Counselling and Mental Wellbeing, Career Development Service, Unitemps and Fees and Payments. The opening hours are: Term time Monday to Thursday 9.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m Vacation Friday 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Contact: Student Service Centre, Charles Wilson Building http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssc Please refer to Administrative Responsibilities under the ‘Key Contacts’ section for information about the School’s AccessAbility Tutor. AccessAbility Centre The Centre offers a range of services to all students who have specific learning difficulties, such as dyslexia, disabilities or long-term conditions including mental health which have a substantial day to day impact on their studies. Staff offer one to one support, the co-ordination of alternative examination arrangements and assistance with applications for the Disabled Students' Allowance. It is possible to be screened for specific learning difficulties and access to formal assessment is available. Students are means tested to see if they are eligible for assistance with the cost of formal assessments. The open access Centre acts as a resource base for students and staff and is a relaxed place for students to work. Its computers are equipped with specialised software for screen enlargement. Essay planning and speech output software is on the University network. The Centre has some specialised equipment (CCTV, enlarged keyboard, and chairs) and some for loan (chairs, writing slopes and digital recorders). Photocopying and printing facilities are also available. The Centre welcomes selfreferrals as well as referrals from academic staff. Contact: AccessAbility Centre, David Wilson Library SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 31 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Tel/minicom: +44 (0)116 252 5002 | Fax: +44 (0)116 252 5513 | [email protected] | www.le.ac.uk/accessability Student Welfare Centre The Student Welfare Service offers wide ranging practical support, advice, and information for students. Financial advice is offered, with information on budgeting and funding. Specialised staff can advocate over late loans and other financial issues. Students can apply for hardship grants and loans through the Service. Information, advice and guidance is available on finance issues and budgeting. In addition, students can apply for hardship awards and loans through the welfare service. For international students, the Student Welfare Service coordinates The International Welcome Week in September and January. Expert immigration advice is available and students are strongly advised to renew their visas through the scheme provided by Student Welfare. Specialised Officers also support students who experience financial or personal problems. Contact: Student Welfare Service, Student Services Centre, Charles Wilson Building Tel: +44 (0)116 223 1185 | Fax: 0116 223 1196 | [email protected] | www.le.ac.uk/welfare Counselling and Wellbeing Service This Service offers a range of expertise and support for the psychological aspects of health and wellbeing. Services on offer include: Student Counselling Support Time-limited, free and confidential one-to-one counselling to help students find ways of dealing with academicrelated or personal issues that may be affecting ability to study or engage with student life. Helping students to build on their skills to cope with the challenges of study, work and relationships through workshops. For information see our website: www.le.ac.uk/counselling Contact: Student Counselling Service, Student Services Centre, Charles Wilson Building +44 (0)116 2231780 | [email protected] Student Mental Wellbeing Support Practical, emotional and skills based one-to-one support to students managing mental health issues whilst at the University. Helping students to build on their skills to cope with the challenges of study, work and relationships through workshops. Contact: Student Support (mental wellbeing), Student Services Centre, Charles Wilson Building +44 (0)116 252 2283 | [email protected] www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/student-support-mental-wellbeing Student Healthy Living Service The Student Healthy Living Service provides direction to health care and health related activity which will contribute to wellbeing and help students to enjoy a balanced life. Students should register for health care local to the University; The University works closely with the Victoria Park Health Centre where staff have expertise in student health. More information can be found on the Healthy Living Service website. Contact: Student Healthy Living Service +(0)116 223 1268 | [email protected] | go.le.ac.uk/healthyliving SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 32 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Health Care and Registering with a Doctor Text for campus-based students only – delete if not applicable Time-limited, free and confidential one-to-one counselling to help students find ways of dealing with academicrelated or personal issues that may be affecting ability to study or engage with student life. Helping students to build on their skills to cope with the challenges of study, work and relationships through workshops. For information see our website: www.le.ac.uk/counselling Contact: Student Counselling Service +44 (0)116 2231780 | [email protected] Text for distance-learning only – delete if not applicable For information see our website: www.le.ac.uk/counselling Contact: Student Counselling Service +44 (0)116 2231780 | [email protected] Student Mental Wellbeing Support Text for campus-based students only – delete if not applicable Practical, emotional and skills based one-to-one support to students managing mental health issues whilst at the University. Helping students to build on their skills to cope with the challenges of study, work and relationships through workshops. Contact: Student Support (mental wellbeing) +44 (0)116 252 2283 | [email protected] www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/student-support-mental-wellbeing Text for distance-learning only – delete if not applicable For information see our website: www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ssds/student-support-mental-wellbeing Contact: Student Support (mental wellbeing) +44 (0)116 252 2283 | [email protected] Student Healthy Living Service Text for campus-based students only – delete if not applicable The Student Healthy Living Service provides direction to health care and health related activity which will contribute to wellbeing and help students to enjoy a balanced life. Students should register for health care local to the University; The University works closely with the Victoria Park Health Centre where staff have expertise in student health. More information can be found on the Healthy Living Service website. Contact: Student Healthy Living Service +(0)116 223 1268 | [email protected] | go.le.ac.uk/healthyliving Text for distance-learning only – delete if not applicable The Student Healthy Living Service provides direction to health care and health related activity which will contribute to wellbeing and help students to enjoy a balanced life. More information can be found on the Healthy Living Service website. Contact: Student Healthy Living Service +(0)116 223 1268 | [email protected] | go.le.ac.uk/healthyliving SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 33 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Health Care and Registering with a Doctor Text for Undergraduate, campus-based programme handbooks (delete if not applicable): Illness can affect any one of us at any time and for this reason the University strongly advises you to register with a doctor in Leicester. The Victoria Park Health Centre (www.victoriaparkhealthcentre.co.uk) has expertise in student health and has provided medical care to the University’s students for many years. The Health Centre is located conveniently close to the main-campus and registration is free. If when you come to University you are already under the care of a ‘specialised team’, have a known medical condition including mental health or waiting for an appointment it is still advisable to register at the Victoria Park Health Centre. Soon after arrival, make an appointment to discuss with one of the doctors who will then be in a better position to communicate with the relevant doctors and help you to manage your condition to avoid any unnecessary disruption to your studies. Please take with you information from your current doctor or consultant which includes diagnosis, current management, including medication (provide a certified English translation if the original is not in English). This is essential for international students as some conditions may be managed differently in this country, particularly in relation to medication which may be licensed differently and may need changing to something which is available to prescribe in this country. If you take medication for your condition you must bring 12 weeks supply with you to ensure continuity until the registration process is complete. More information about registering with a doctor and other health and well-being services can be found at: http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/healthy-living-for-students/new-students/uk-students Text for Taught Postgraduate campus-based handbooks (delete if not applicable): Illness can affect any one of us at any time and for this reason the University strongly advises you to register with a doctor in Leicester. The Victoria Park Health Centre (www.victoriaparkhealthcentre.co.uk) has expertise in student health and has provided medical care to the University’s students for many years. The Health Centre is located conveniently close to the main-campus and registration is free. If when you come to University you are already under the care of a ‘specialised team’, have a known medical condition including mental health or waiting for an appointment it is still advisable to register at the Victoria Park Health Centre. Soon after arrival, make an appointment to discuss with one of the doctors who will then be in a better position to communicate with the relevant doctors and help you to manage your condition to avoid any unnecessary disruption to your studies. Please take with you information from your current doctor or consultant which includes diagnosis, current management, including medication (provide a certified English translation if the original is not in English). This is essential for international students as some conditions may be managed differently in this country, particularly in relation to medication which may be licensed differently and may need changing to something which is available to prescribe in this country. If you take medication for your condition you must bring 12 weeks supply with you to ensure continuity until the registration process is complete. More information about registering with a doctor and other health and well-being services can be found at: http://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/healthy-living-for-students/new-students/uk-students Careers and Skills Development Careers The School of History, Politics & International Relations affirms that its students while studying should gain the necessary skills to make them employable. In this respect it is best to regard your time at university not just as the final stage of your education, but as the beginning of your working career. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-17 34 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Information about careers and on all aspects of job-seeking can be found in various places. There will be sessions on employability during each year of your History course as part of the Career Development Service’s Make the Most of You programme. On Blackboard there is a site with information about the Personal Development Plan (PDP) you can develop during your time at university. This enables you to monitor your progress and keep track of the skills you acquire. Most importantly there is the University’s Career Development Service. Checking this site frequently will provide you with a wealth of information about careers advice, including voluntary work, internships, work-experience, and opportunities to meet representative of important employers. The Careers Service also provides advice about all stages of applying for jobs: (www2.le.ac.uk/offices/careersnew) Finally, you should check your University emails regularly. The Career Development Service regularly sends out information about careers events and employment opportunities. The Careers Tutor Dr James Moore Email – [email protected] Tel – 0116 229 7531 The role of the Careers Tutor is to be the principal point of contact between the School, the Careers Service and other organisations who can help you to enhance your employability. The Careers tutor will lead events, circulate information about Careers Events, and will organise internship programmes and help you to make contact with alumni mentors. Learning Development Studying for a degree is a stimulating, challenging and rewarding experience. In order to make the most of this experience, the University of Leicester provides a wide range of resources and services to support and enhance your academic development in areas such as essay-writing, critical thinking, independent learning and timemanagement. The Learning Development Team is here to help you develop the skills and abilities you need in order to succeed in your studies. To find out more about how we can help you develop your academic skills and abilities, visit our website: www.le.ac.uk/succeedinyourstudies. Employability within the School of History, Politics & International Relations Chances to enhance your employability are built into your history degree at every level of the programme: we refer to this area as ‘transferable skills’, or ‘learning outcomes’, but what we mean quite simply is all that you learn at university can be used outside university. However, we also organise other voluntary activities to help you prepare for the job market, including: Leicester Award The Leicester Award for Employability encompasses a range of employability courses and experiences available to University of Leicester students. All programmes are designed to help you to develop, assess, recognise and record the employability skills you are gaining through extra and co-curricular activities. History in the Classroom In 2012-13 we began ‘History in the Classroom’, a ten week module which you can take as one of your options in the second year. Here, you will spend one afternoon a week under the direct supervision of a qualified class room teacher in a local school where you will teach History. If you are thinking of teaching as a profession, this is the module for you. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 35 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Internships We are always looking for opportunities to establish internships for our students to gain some experience of the workplace prior to applying for a job. This year we had ten students working with academic staff on a variety of work experience internships. We also had three internships in collaboration with the Institute of Historical Research in London to work on various digital humanities projects. We hope to run the schemes again next year. Career Development Service With your drive and determination, the Career Development Service can help you develop the skills and abilities that will not only help get you to where you want to be after university, but will stay with you for life. Career development at Leicester isn’t just about getting some work experience and writing a CV; we make sure that you get personal support to achieve your aspirations. We’re here for you from the moment you arrive, through to your graduation and beyond. We’ll give you the opportunity to try new things and to figure out what you want from your career– what it is that really drives, motivates and inspires you. We’ll also help you identify your personal strengths and what you need to develop to be ahead of the crowd. Even if you’re not sure what it is you want to do yet, we can help you develop the skills and experience that you need to get that first job out of university, but also the ability to manage your own career development and succeed on whichever path you choose. It’s your career development journey and you decide where it is that you want to go. By working with us you make sure that you’re giving yourself the best possible chance to get there. We’ve got the knowledge and resources to spur you on to success so, by working with us, you really will make the most of you! When you arrive at Leicester you’ll have access to MyCareers: https://mycareers.le.ac.uk, our career management system, by simply using your university username to login. This is the gateway to: • • • • Booking one-to-one appointments with our career consultants for support with career planning, job hunting, CVs and applications, and mock interviews Booking workshops, such as mock assessment centres and psychometric testing Meeting employers who are coming on campus Finding all the opportunities available exclusively for Leicester students such as paid internships, volunteering, and extra-curricular activities If you are looking for part time work whilst studying, make sure you sign up to Unitemps, based in the Student Services Centre, for opportunities on campus and in the city. We’re here to support you throughout your time at university so make sure that you come and visit us in the Student Services Centre in the Charles Wilson Building and log-in to your MyCareers account to get started! Contact the Career Development Service: 0116 252 2004 | [email protected] | www.le.ac.uk/careers @uolcds | fb.com/uolcds Personal Development Planning Personal Development Planning (PDP) is designed to enable you to think about, and plan for, your own personal, academic and career development. Throughout your degree you will be encouraged to reflect on your progress and achievements, and to identify areas you wish to develop and improve on. PDP will help you to: recognise the skills and abilities you are developing; identify areas for improvement and development; and think about how you can improve your employability and career prospects SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-17 36 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES To find out more about how the School supports PDP, you should contact your Personal Tutor in the first instance. Alternatively, contact the School’s Personal Development Planning Officer, Dr James Moore ([email protected]). In addition, Learning Development provides some more general information about what PDP is, and how you can engage with it: www2.le.ac.uk/offices/ld/personal-development-planning-pdp. Feedback from Students The School aims to be responsive to your opinion about courses and teaching. This does not necessarily mean that in every case we will change what we do or the way that we do it, but that we certainly will consider carefully all comments and suggestions, and if we decide not to adopt them we will explain why. Tutors often seek feedback in an informal way, by group discussion. There are several other ways in which you can make your feelings known, and in particular: If you are unhappy about the way a module is being taught, or the way your classes are being conducted you should start by discussing the problems with your tutor or the module coordinator. Most problems can be sorted out quickly and smoothly in this way. If the problem cannot be resolved in this way you should discuss it with the Senior Tutor. All students have the right to approach the Head of School with any concerns they have about a module. Remember that you can also go to see your Personal Tutor about any problems you are having with a particular module. If you are uncertain about what to do, they will be able to offer advice on how to approach your tutor or module leader. Your concerns or suggestions can be raised by your representatives on the Student Staff Committee (see below), without disclosing from whom they come. Modules are reviewed on a regular basis (see below) and students have the opportunity of giving their views on these modules in questionnaires. Student Feedback Questionnaires All modules are reviewed on a yearly basis to enable the School to monitor the quality of its teaching and to identify any major problems. Students taking reviewed modules will participate in the monitoring processes by completing a questionnaire online. Questionnaires are an important part of the way we operate; feedback is considered seriously and makes a valuable contribution to the School, so please take the time to fully and sensibly complete the questionnaires, and to tell us what works as well as what you don’t like! The questionnaires are scrutinised by the Chair of the Academic Committee before they are seen by the module tutor(s) and any urgent matters are dealt with immediately. Module tutors each produce a detailed report on their module and all paperwork is reviewed by the School Academic Committee (in cooperation with the Chair of the Student Staff Committee) who identify any problems or possible improvements and any action necessary. Feedback will be provided to students via the Student Staff Committee. Student Staff Committee The Student Staff Committee is made up of five members of staff (the Head of School who chairs the meetings, the Senior Tutor for each year and the Examinations Officer) and a number of student representatives; each year of each degree has a representative which will be decided at the beginning of semester 1. The Committee deals with the whole range of issues relating to teaching, learning and assessment in undergraduate courses. Student members of the Committee have an important role to play in its work by representing opinions and providing feedback to their constituents. Requests for volunteers for the Committee take place within the first four weeks of Semester 1. The Committee normally meets once per term (extra meetings may sometimes be called if required). Dates for these meetings will be publicised on Blackboard and through email to students. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-17 37 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Items for discussion by Committee may be channelled through members of the Committee or handed in to the School Office. The Committee’s minutes are posted on Blackboard on the ‘Undergraduate Information and Resources’ site. The minutes of the meetings are considered at School meetings and responses are submitted to subsequent meetings of the committee. Details of the School responses to the issues raised by students are available on Blackboard. Training for student representatives on departmental committees is provided by the Student’s Union Education Unit. Information about the support the Union provides for representatives can be found on the Student Union website at http://leicesterunion.com/yourunion/course_reps. What we expect of you – What you can expect of us This section sets out what we expect of you and what we think you should reasonably expect of the School, and it also serves as a summary of some of the points which appear elsewhere in this handbook. Some of these points are also included in the University’s Student Charter. What can you Expect of us? • • • • • • • • • • • • You can expect that you will be provided with an overall course which is well structured and clearly outlined and which takes account of your level of achievement. You can expect that modules will be well planned and delivered and will be appropriate to your level of attainment at the stage you take them. You can also expect that they will be both stimulating and demanding; ‘appropriate to your level’ does not mean easy, and indeed a module which is easy is not appropriate to your level. You can expect that lectures, tutorials/seminars and classes will be well planned and that they will fit clearly and properly into the overall structure of the module and your course. You can expect that seminars and classes will be carried out in a constructive and encouraging atmosphere, as these are the circumstances in which learning is easiest. It is of course up to you to contribute to this atmosphere by preparing the work which you were asked to do and making an effort to contribute to discussion. You can expect that lectures, classes and tutorials will begin and end on time. Please remember that conventionally lectures and classes will start on the hour and end 10 minutes to the following hour. This is to allow for both students and staff to move to their next class. You can expect to have the appropriate course materials for each module handed out at the first teaching session of the course, and that this literature will be helpful and will make your obligations clear. If you submit an item of coursework on time you can expect to have it marked, with comments, within three weeks of the submission deadline. If there will be a delay in the return to you, the School Office will notify you. You are entitled to expect that feedback on your essay will be clear and helpful; the amount of comment that you should expect will obviously depend upon the essay and the style of the teacher concerned. Your academic tutor will be willing to discuss and explain both the comments and the mark awarded. You are entitled to consult your academic tutors for advice when preparing your coursework (however this must be within a reasonable time frame from the deadline). This may include suggesting further reading, giving guidance on the expected scope of the topic, or matters of correct format in references and bibliography (as the submitted work must be your own effort, there are limits to the help which can be given on the actual content). You should expect to be able to see your Personal Tutor at his or her advertised office hours and by appointment; you are entitled to expect that your tutor will keep such appointments. You are entitled to expect that any comments, negative or positive, that you make about the course as a whole, individual modules or the way they are taught will be taken seriously. You are entitled to a response and an explanation if your suggestion is rejected. You are entitled to be treated courteously and with consideration by all the staff of the School. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-17 38 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES What can we Expect of you? • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The School expects you to take responsibility for the planning and execution of your own work. Perhaps the most important thing you will learn at the University of Leicester, and what distinguishes university most from school or college, is that you alone are responsible for the pattern and the structure of your work. In particular, it is up to you to plan your work so that you are ready for each of your classes and that your essays are submitted on time. Your academic and personal tutors can help if you find this difficult; as can the Learning Development Service, but in the end the responsibility is yours. We expect you to read carefully through this handbook, in conjunction with the Undergraduate Assessment Handbook, and any other information which you are given, including course handouts. You should be aware of the procedures of the School and of your obligations; if you are in doubt or have questions, you should take the initiative and ask for guidance. We expect you to consult the relevant notice boards regularly, especially in the first part of each semester. Failure to see a notice which has been displayed is not an acceptable excuse. We expect you to check the timetable and class lists to ensure that you know when and where your lectures and classes are being held. Mobile phones must be turned off and not used at all during lectures, seminars and tutorials. You must inform the School Office if you change your mobile phone number. We expect you to check your email regularly: every day is best. We expect you to attend lectures, seminars and classes and to inform your academic tutor if you are unable to be present. If you fail to attend several of your classes you will be asked to explain your absences, and may be required to complete a Mitigating Circumstances Form (if applicable). Repeated absence without good reason can lead to your course being terminated. We expect you to have done at least the recommended preparation and to be willing to contribute to discussion. If you have been asked to make a presentation, we expect you to attend promptly and to make your best efforts in preparing and presenting the paper. Classes work best when the atmosphere is relaxed and when everyone has something to contribute. We expect you to read carefully the instructions for the submission of essays and other work, and to keep to them. In particular we expect you to submit your essays on time and in the proper way. We expect that any essay you submit will be your own work. Remember the only real loser from plagiarism is you. We expect you to respond to requests to see your Personal Tutor, and that you will keep your Personal Tutor informed of any problems that you are having. We expect that you submit the Notification of Mitigating Circumstances form with appropriate documentation, if you have experienced any problems; this will enable us to take them into consideration at examination time or at other times. We expect you to familiarise yourself with and make use of the University’s facilities, such as the Library and the IT network. We expect you to keep the University informed of any change in either your home or local address. We expect you to provide us with your honest opinion upon the modules which you have taken and the course as a whole, and to bring to our attention any problems you have with the course. We expect you to follow the deadlines stipulated within this Handbook. Providing documentation by a specified deadline to support a mitigating circumstances claim is your responsibility. Finally, we hope that you will take advantage of the other opportunities which being at University offers you - as well as academic endeavour, to make the most of the social, cultural and sporting sides of student life. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 2016-17 39 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES The History Society A Message from the History Society Hi everyone! The History Society is a student group run by students with a passion for History, for students with a passion for History. Anyone on any History related course is welcome to join our ranks, as well as anyone who just loves history and wants to have a fun time with like-minded people. We were named Student Group of the Year for 2012/13, so we clearly do something right! We organise loads of awesome things for our members throughout the year. These range from socials such as bar crawls, pub quizzes, film nights and our spectacular Summer Ball; to academic events like debates, guest lecturers and our mentoring scheme. We also arrange a trip abroad with Invasion - in previous years we've gone to Dublin and Amsterdam - and so we're hoping to do this again this year. We'll be looking to arrange this quite close to the beginning of term, so keep your eyes open for information on this. Our committee normally consists of second and third year students who have already had time to get to know the university, so we also look to recruit a First Year Representative so that we can find out what first years think of what we do and how we can improve it. It also gives the person chosen the chance to get ahead of the game and get experience on a committee really early on, so have a think about applying! This definitely won't be the last time you'll hear from us! You'll be able to sign up for the History Society membership from the beginning of term on the Students' Union website. We'll also be at the Freshers Fair during Induction Week for anyone still wanting to sign up and so you can find out more about us. We'll also pop into lectures now and then to keep everyone updated on our latest events. If you want to get in touch with us before then, you can do any of the following: Email us at [email protected] Go to our Students' Union webpage at www.leicesterunion.com/groups/history--3 Check out our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/newhistorylab/ Follow us on Twitter @UoLHistory We hope to see you soon! The Stanley Burton Centre Unique Opportunities for Studying the Holocaust and Genocide at Leicester Mission of the Stanley Burton Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies The Stanley Burton Centre (SBC) is a non-profit teaching and research centre within the School of History, Politics & International Relations at the University of Leicester and it is the oldest Holocaust research centre at a British University, founded in 1990. Its staff promote and conduct research into the history and memory of the Holocaust, other Genocides and mass conflicts. The research expertise within the centre includes different cultural areas (amongst others Germany, France, Italy, UK, Algeria, South-Eastern and Eastern Europe) and disciplines (amongst others history and oral history; memory and representation in art, literature and film; the psychology of mass hate; genocide in international criminal law). The centre is dedicated to teaching Undergraduate and Postgraduate Students and offers regular fee waivers for MA- and PhD-study on a competitive basis. Beyond its academic impact the SBC also organises regular outreach events and awareness activities and participates in pedagogical publications aimed at schools. SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT HANDBOOK 40 2016-17 SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNDERGRADUATE COURSES Volunteer to work as an assistant librarian Are you inspired to find out more about the Holocaust and related events? Studying History at the University of Leicester will offer you a unique opportunity to get involved with the subject inside and outside of the classroom through the activities of the Stanley Burton Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies. A wide range of modules includes material relating to the Holocaust and student volunteers play an active role in running the Holocaust Resources Room, which houses specialised resources and facilities for those studying this topic. The volunteers supervise the use of the collection during opening hours, catalogue resources and fulfil tasks such as maintaining the centre’s website and Facebook page. Students also use the room for group-projects, such as group coursework from Holocaust-related modules, or to prepare extra-curricular activities. Student volunteers see their activities at the centre as a most rewarding experience, which also prepares them for internships and jobs at similar institutions. If you would like to volunteer to work in the Resources Room, please contact [email protected]. Stanley Burton Centre website address: www.le.ac.uk/hi/centres/burton/ Follow the Stanley Burton Centre on Facebook and on Twitter for research updates relating to the Holocaust and other genocides, events at the University or job opportunities. On Facebook: The Stanley Burton Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies www.facebook.com/pages/TheStanley-Burton-Centre-for-Holocaust-and-Genocide-Studies/166069966752592?fref=ts On Twitter: @UoLSBC Safety and Security Evacuation Procedure During your first lecture/seminar/tutorial for each of your modules you will be alerted to the procedure to follow in the event on an emergency. First Aid For information on who the School’s first aiders are, please contact the School Office (contact details for the School Office can be found on page 10). Personal Belongings Your personal belongings are not covered by the University’s insurance. You are therefore advised to check whether your parents’ or family policies provide adequate protection. If not, private insurance arrangements should be made. A lost property service operates from the Security Lodge, which is situated at the far end of the Fielding Johnson Building on Wyggeston Drive, University entrance No. 1. Bicycles may be brought onto the main campus but must be placed in the cycle racks provided, and appropriate security measures taken to help to prevent theft and damage. For advice on preventing cycle theft and details of the University’s Coded Cycle Scheme visit: www.le.ac.uk/estates/facilities_&_services/security/CodedCycleScheme.html SCHOOL OF HISTORY, POLITICS & INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER
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